Medical students from THIS country barred from practicing in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD, August 3, 2026: The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has issued an important clarification regarding Pakistani medical students currently studying in Afghanistan, stating that graduates from Afghan medical institutions will not be eligible to practice in Pakistan, ARY News reported.

In an official statement, PMDC said that Pakistani medical and dental graduates from Afghanistan will not be granted registration with the council. The council further clarified that medical institutions in Afghanistan are not included in the list of foreign medical institutions recognized by the Education Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates, ECFMG.

As a result, students graduating from Afghanistan will also not be allowed to appear in the National Registration Examination, NRE, which is mandatory for foreign medical graduates seeking to practice in Pakistan.

PMDC said that only Pakistani graduates from foreign institutions that are recognized by ECFMG will be eligible to sit for the NRE. The council advised students to verify the approval status of any foreign medical college with ECFMG before seeking admission, particularly for institutions in Afghanistan.

The council stressed that no relaxation or special exemption will be granted in the eligibility rules.

The statement is expected to impact a large number of Pakistani students currently enrolled in medical and dental colleges across Afghanistan.

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